Word
او یک داستان میخواند.
Meaning
He reads a story.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of او یک داستان میخواند.
او
he/she
یکyek
one / a, an
خواندنkhândan
to read / to study (a subject)
داستانdâstân
story
Questions & Answers about او یک داستان میخواند.
This lesson is about the object marker را. Why isn't را used after the word for 'story' in this sentence?
The word را is only used for definite direct objects, like when you say 'the story' or 'that story'. In this sentence, the object is indefinite because he is reading 'a story' (یک داستان). Therefore, we do not add را.
Does او specifically mean 'he'?
No, Farsi pronouns are gender-neutral. او can mean 'he' or 'she'. Without more context, translating this sentence as 'She reads a story' is equally correct!
Why does the verb میخواند start with می?
The prefix می is used to show continuous or habitual actions in the present tense. It tells us that the action is happening now or happens regularly. Because of this, میخواند can be translated as either 'he reads' or 'he is reading'.
The word یک means the number 'one'. Is it also used for 'a' or 'an'?
Exactly! Just like in English, Farsi uses the word for 'one' (یک) before a noun to mean 'a' or 'an'. So یک داستان simply means 'a story'.